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Operation Smile
Operation Smile reported $100.2 million in revenue and $108.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $63.47 went to program services, $11.27 to management and general costs and $25.26 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $371,801 (CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER). 39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 14% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $108MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $100MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 63.5% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 25.3% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.28 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.1% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $371,801 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.34% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 39 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 12.2 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 8 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseOperation Smile raises awareness of cleft lip and cleft palate and its effects on patients' quality of life and health. Through various communication channels including digital and traditional media, it seeks to educate the public and donors about the surgeries and comprehensive care it provides. Also, critical information is provided to patients, their families and communities to promote access to local health resources and essential cleft treatments including speech therapy, psychological, nutrition and dental care. Prevention-related messaging is highly actionable and focused on prenatal…
In coordination with international governments and ministries of health, the organization addresses systemic barriers within health systems that can prevent surgical care from being delivered or received. Operation Smile provided surgical care to 16,548 patients via its short-term surgical programs and hospital partnerships in 36 countries across a footprint of over 200 hospitals. The organization conducted 203 short-term surgical programs, all of which were conducted by a majority of local medical volunteers. Dental care was provided to 26,976 patients through short-term programs. Operation…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $324,260 | $0 | $47,541 | $371,801 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $324,008 | $0 | $44,073 | $368,081 |
| CHIEF POLICY & ADVOCACY OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $249,517 | $0 | $44,662 | $294,179 |
| VP, GLOBAL MEDICAL EDUCATION Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $231,051 | $0 | $37,053 | $268,104 |
| VP, US PHILANTHROPY Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $228,552 | $0 | $36,546 | $265,098 |
| SVP, GLOBAL FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $242,265 | $0 | $15,503 | $257,768 |
| CEO EMERITUS Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $237,191 | $0 | $15,258 | $252,449 |
| SENIOR VP, GLOBAL HR Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $235,069 | $0 | $11,947 | $247,016 |
39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Operation Smile (Part VII, line 2).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b8 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5212
- Volunteers Part I, line 69,133
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| WE ARE CHANGEMAKERS INC DBA FULL HEARTS Fundraising council | $18,640,750 |
| MOORE A SERIES LLC Fundraising council | $9,674,970 |
| MDS COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION Telefundraising | $2,341,090 |
| 72andSunny Partners LLC Fundraising Council | $2,198,970 |
| GiveBridge Inc Donor Acquisition | $765,400 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 41 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
276 private foundations reported grants to Operation Smile totaling $2.6M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Operation Smile's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Operation Smile, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Operation Smile spent in FY2025, $63.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- American Friends of Hebrew UniversityNew York, NY · revenue $100M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- International AIDS Vaccine InitiativeNew York, NY · revenue $103M · programs 85.2% · 2025
- Council on Foreign RelationsNew York, NY · revenue $99M · programs 74.5% · FY2025
- Pathfinder InternationalWashington, DC · revenue $105M · programs 85.3% · FY2025
- The Halo Trust (USA)Washington, DC · revenue $97M · programs 96.7% · FY2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Virginia
Questions people ask
How much of Operation Smile's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Operation Smile reported that 63.5% of its $108.1 million in expenses went to program services, 11.3% to management and general and 25.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Operation Smile pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Operation Smile reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $371,801, for the role of CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Operation Smile get its money?
Of $100.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 96.1% came from contributions and grants and 0.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Operation Smile a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 54-1460147 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202621199349302277 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (amended), object 202541839349301219 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401089349300325 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341359349316959 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202200709349301665 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130549349301303 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 54-1460147: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.